The infrared spectral region contains fundamental signature molecular absorptions that are important for gas sensing, environmental monitoring, chemical sensing and other applications. For example, high spectroscopic quality, compact, semiconductor-based laser sources can dramatically enhance the capabilities of active point and remote gas sensors for many applications including those that are commercial and defense/security related. Despite this importance and many years of effort, there are no tunable infrared laser sources that can provide continuous tuning across large spectral ranges in the infrared region with narrow linewidths suitable for gas-phase sensing, and high power for standoff/remote gas-phase sensing.
Thus, there is a need to overcome these and other problems of the prior art and to provide continuously tunable laser devices/sources that are robust, compact and suitable for spectroscopic applications.